Milestone is a timely reminder

Published: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 3:09 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 3:09 p.m.

Saturday will mark the third anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion, the deadly disaster that claimed 11 workers’ lives and touched off a devastating months-long oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

While the flow of oil was cut off after several months, the total impact of the spill is still being estimated. So even though we have been through three years of response, cleanup and recovery, we are still not out from under the shadow of BP’s spill.

Some of the spill’s outcomes have been improved or lessened.

For instance, much of the oil has been removed from the water and our beaches and coastline.

Unfortunately, much of it remains as well. Passing storms roil the water and lead to tar balls washing up, reminding us all that the oil is still in the Gulf, even if it is not always obvious.

The cleanup of Louisiana’s beaches has not ended. And it shouldn’t end until virtually all the oil has been removed.

Even as the cleanup continues, scientists are finding more disturbing signs that the fallout from the spill is not yet fully appreciated.

There have been large numbers of dolphin and sea turtles found dead, though no one is certain that the larger numbers of deaths are due to more animals dying or more of the dead animals being found by scientists and others.

There have been other disturbing signs.

Some animals have shown damaged cellular structures, a problem that could become more serious with time.

And, of course, there were the economic problems that have not yet been adequately addressed.

Fishermen were put out of work directly after the spill. But the perception of Gulf seafood as tainted by the oil spill remains a stubborn problem that continues to affect the demand for the local products. And there is no way to guess now at what the long-term impact of the spill on the natural fisheries here will be.

Altogether, the spill was a societal, economic and environmental disaster that has faded from the nation’s attention, perhaps, but not from its local impact along Louisiana’s coast.

We are three years away from the beginning of the spill, and in some ways, we are still years away from even understanding the impact, much less embarking on suitable treatments.

Still, we are much better off than we were in the thick of the spill, as some publicly wondered if the spill could even be stopped. The flow was stopped, the cleanup began and the damage assessment has continued.

This milestone reminds us of how far we have come and how far there is yet to go.

<p>Saturday will mark the third anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion, the deadly disaster that claimed 11 workers' lives and touched off a devastating months-long oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.</p><p>While the flow of oil was cut off after several months, the total impact of the spill is still being estimated. So even though we have been through three years of response, cleanup and recovery, we are still not out from under the shadow of BP's spill.</p><p>Some of the spill's outcomes have been improved or lessened.</p><p>For instance, much of the oil has been removed from the water and our beaches and coastline.</p><p>Unfortunately, much of it remains as well. Passing storms roil the water and lead to tar balls washing up, reminding us all that the oil is still in the Gulf, even if it is not always obvious.</p><p>The cleanup of Louisiana's beaches has not ended. And it shouldn't end until virtually all the oil has been removed.</p><p>Even as the cleanup continues, scientists are finding more disturbing signs that the fallout from the spill is not yet fully appreciated.</p><p>There have been large numbers of dolphin and sea turtles found dead, though no one is certain that the larger numbers of deaths are due to more animals dying or more of the dead animals being found by scientists and others.</p><p>There have been other disturbing signs.</p><p>Some animals have shown damaged cellular structures, a problem that could become more serious with time.</p><p>And, of course, there were the economic problems that have not yet been adequately addressed.</p><p>Fishermen were put out of work directly after the spill. But the perception of Gulf seafood as tainted by the oil spill remains a stubborn problem that continues to affect the demand for the local products. And there is no way to guess now at what the long-term impact of the spill on the natural fisheries here will be.</p><p>Altogether, the spill was a societal, economic and environmental disaster that has faded from the nation's attention, perhaps, but not from its local impact along Louisiana's coast.</p><p>We are three years away from the beginning of the spill, and in some ways, we are still years away from even understanding the impact, much less embarking on suitable treatments.</p><p>Still, we are much better off than we were in the thick of the spill, as some publicly wondered if the spill could even be stopped. The flow was stopped, the cleanup began and the damage assessment has continued.</p><p>This milestone reminds us of how far we have come and how far there is yet to go.</p><p>Editorials represent the opinions of</p><p>the newspaper, not of any individual.</p>